Folding machine



Jply 29 1924. 1,502,867

L. MUTHER FOLDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 1, 1922 iW- 734M- WW WM;

6 J aworiugy in a housing 22, carried by a clamp-bearing 23 and the forward and backward movement is imparted to the feed-foot 2-1 by the rock ing of the housing 22. An arm 25, fixed on the end of the lift-shaft 19, is connected by a link 26 to a stud 27 carried by a split collar 28 secured to the upper end of the feed-bar 20, and the rocking of the liftshaft 19 through these means imparts an up and down movement to the feed-bar 20 in the housing 22. The feed-bar is held in a lowermost position by a spring 30, and the idler roll with which the feed-foot cooperates in the feeding movement is loosely mounted upon a screw stud 32 set in the end of the lower arm.

Through the foregoing, the feed-foot is given a four-motion feed. In its forward movement (away from the operator) it is in a lowermost position, co-operating with the idler roll to feed the material forward in the machine. At the end of the feeding movement, the rocking of the lift-shaft 19, through the medium of the arm25, link 26 and collar 28, lifts the feed-bar 20 and feedfoot 24 to release: the material and holds them in a raised position during their movement backward at the end of which they are dropped into initial position. The material is therefore fed in a step-by-step manner. All of the foregoing construction and mode of operation is fully shown and de scribed in said Lautenschlager patent to which reference may be had.

For turning the binding over downwardly toward the reverse side of the material, a folding member 50 may be mounted upon a worlcsupport 51 on the lower arm 15. The folding member 50 is in the form of a plow having an oblique face 52 adapted to be engaged by the binding as the material is fed forward, the forward edge 54 of the folding member being in the form of a concave curve to turn the binding downwardly over the reverse side of the material as it passes under the nose 55 of the folding member. This member is provided with a slot 56 adapted to receive a screw 57 whereby it may be adjustably secured to the work-support 51. The folding member in general form is similar to the plow of the Lautenschlager machine, but its oblique surface and curved edge are modified to suit the particular work required in applying cord binding.

For pressing down the turned-over tape upon the reverse side of the material to be bound, a presser-arm 60 carrying a presser 62 substantially L-shaped in plan is either made integral with or fixedly mounted on a lever 65, secured thereto by a screw 66 and held against rotation thereon by a pin '67. The lever is provided with a shaft 68 mounted in the bearing 70 formed on the upper arm 16 and is arranged to oscillate therein.

Secured in the perpendicular portion of the lever 65 is a threaded screw 72 having a check nut 78, and adapted to engage at its end a block 76, set'in an arm 77, fixedly mounted on the end of the lift-shaft 19. Through the medium of these parts, the lever 65 is rocked by the oscillation of the liftshaft 19 to raise and lower the presser arm and presser member, and the machine is so timed that the presser member is down between the feeding movements and elevated during the feeding movements. To hold the lever 65 in the position shown in Fig. 1, with the end of screw 72 abutting the block 76, a spring 80 set in a hollow screw 81 bears against the upper portion of the lever 65. The screw is threaded through an arm 83 forming a part of the upper arm 16 of the machine, and the pressure exerted upon the lever 65 by the spring '80 may be adjusted by turning the screw one way or the other.

The particular construction hereinbefore except the modification in form of the folding member constitutes no part of the present invention. The particular form of pressing member is shown and described in an application for Letters Patent filed by me jointly with Frederick S. Glines in the United States Patent Office on July 24, 1922, Serial Number 576,965, to which ref erence may be made for a more detailed description of the same.

The novel features of the present invention reside in the provision of fixed guiding means for giving a preliminary turning to the binding. This member may be made in various forms, but preferably is constructed as shown in Fig. 4; of the drawings, comprising a flat plate 85 provided with a slot 86 to receive a screw 87, whereby it may be secured to the work-support 51, the slot permitting of a limited longitudinal adjustment. On its forward end, the plate is turned upwardly forming a gauge 88 having a guiding and turning face 89, which is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the plate 85. This face is slightly curved in a direction away from the normal line of feed on its forward portion or the portion nearest the operator.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The material is presented to the machine with the right side downward and with the binding turned over the stitching in a reverse direction and extending outwardly from the material and is inserted between the feed-foot and the idler roll, the feed-foot being in its initial position ready for feeding. In this initial position the work is held tightly against the gauge 88, the binding at that point being turned upwardly around the edge of the material to be bound, and in engagement with the gauge. The machine is then started. As the feeding this movement the material is held pressed against the face 89 of the gauge 88 and thereby guided through the machine. After the feeding is completed the pressing mem ber descends and presses the turned over binding down upon the reverse side of the material in a cemented relation thereto. The work is thus fed through the machin in a step-by-step manner.

It will be observed that since the gauge guides the material by contact with the outer face of the binding rather than by engagement with the edge of the material itself, the binding is free to be turned naturally by the curved face of the gauge, and to be delivered in that condition to the folding member. This permits the gauge and folding member to be closely grouped with the other folding instrumentalities which is so requisite to perfect work.

It is further to be noted that my invention both simplifies the construction and number of operative parts and performs all the necessary functions required in the folding operation.

It is to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the exact form or the exact application herein shown and described, since it may be embodied in other forms of construction and may be applied to other forms of folding machines all within the purview of the following claims:

What I claim is:

1. In a folding machine, the combination of means for feeding material having a binding attached to one edge thereof, a fixed member having its operative face perpendicular to the body of the material for with means for feeding material havin a binding attached to one edge thereof, 0 a work-support, a member having a guiding face perpendicular to said work-support and approximately parallel to the normal line of feed for turning said binding upwardly around the edge of said material, a plow for turning said upright binding down toward the reverse side of said material, said plow being arranged in close proximity to said member and positioned to receive said binding from said member and to turn it downwardly in a natural curve without straining the edge thereof, and means for pressing said binding down upon the reverse side of the body of said,

material.

3. In a folding machine, the combination with means for feeding material having a binding attached to one edge thereof, of a work-support, a member having a guiding face perpendicular to said work-support and curving slightly in a forward direction toward the normal line of feed for turning the said binding up around the edge of said material into an upright position, said member being adjustable transversely on said work-support, .a plow in close proximity to said guiding member and in position to receive said upright binding from said member and to turn it downwardly toward the body portion of said material without straining the edge thereof and means for pressing said binding down upon the body of said material.

l. In a folding machine, the combination with means for feeding material having a binding attached to one edge thereof, of a work-support, a. member having a guiding face perpendicular to said work-support and curving slightly in a forward direction toward the normal line of feed for turning the said binding closely around the edge of said material into an upright position, a plow forward of and in close proximity to said guiding member, the nose of said plow projecting transversely beyond said guiding member toward the normal feeding line, said plow being in position to receive said upright binding from said guiding member and to turn it downwardly toward the body portion of said material without straining the edge thereof and a. hammer for pressing said binding down upon the body of said material.

In witness whereof, I hereunto set my hand this 25th day of November, 1922.

LORENZ MUTHER. 

